Business Vocabulary in Use: Dialogues, Expressions & Idioms in American English for the Business World

By Jackie Bolen

Set yourself apart in the business world with these useful phrases, expressions and idioms.

 

Have more confidence when speaking English at a meeting with clients, during a presentation or business lunch, or when making small talk with co-workers. And that's just to name a few of the situations that this business English book covers! Business Vocabulary in Use will help you improve your English quickly and easily.

 

Jackie Bolen has 20 years of experience teaching ESL/EFL to students in South Korea and Canada. She has written these dialogues filled with helpful sentences, expressions, and phrases in American English for business people.
 

Pick up Business Vocabulary in Use if you want to . . .

• Have more confidence in conducting business in English.
• Have hundreds of English phrases, expressions and idioms for business at your fingertips.
• Learn the definition of each one of them.
• Improve your American English.
• Put into practice the phrases and expressions with the practice opportunities.
• See how the language is used in real-life dialogues and situations.
• Improve your TOEFL, TOEIC, or IELTS score.
• Sounds more like a native speaker.

These are the business English sentences that you'll hear over and over again in real life. Speak more fluently and gain some confidence with this book. 

 

Besides the common business English phrases and expressions, there are dialogues so that you can see how the language is used. Plus, some opportunities to put into practice and review the sentences and phrases you've learned. 

 

Business Vocabulary in Use by Jackie Bolen will help you stay motivated while consistently improving your business English skills.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jackie Bolen
• Release date: Jan 31, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224815425

Book preview

Business Vocabulary in Use:

Dialogues, Expressions & Idioms in American English for the Business World

Jackie Bolen

www.eslspeaking.org

Copyright © 2024 by Jackie Bolen

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or other electronic or mechanical means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher/author at the following address: Jackie Bolen: [e-mail].

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Book ...........................................................4

About the Author: Jackie Bolen.....................................................5

A Status Update..................................................................6

Talking About Strategy...........................................................11

A Negotiation..................................................................15

Talking About Bad Results........................................................20

A Job Interview ................................................................24

Talking About a Possible Strike....................................................29

Losing a Job....................................................................33

Talking About a Dissatisfied Customer..............................................38

Strategy Session for a Product Launch...............................................42

Talking About Changing Suppliers..................................................47

Late to Work ...................................................................52

Managers Talking About Employees................................................57

A New Partnership..............................................................62

Having Lunch with a Friend at Another Company......................................67

Making a Job Description.........................................................71

At a Meeting...................................................................76

Marketing Strategy..............................................................80

Conducting a Performance Review..................................................85

A Budget Proposal...............................................................90

Firing Someone.................................................................95

Supply Chain Management.......................................................100

Asking Questions at a Presentation.................................................105

A Phone Conversation ..........................................................109

Talking About Financial Issues....................................................114

Before You Go................................................................118

Introduction to the Book

Welcome to this book designed to help you improve your business English vocabulary with helpful idioms, phrases, and expressions in American English. My goal is to help you expand your business English vocabulary and to be able to speak and write more fluently.

Let's face it, business idioms can be difficult to master, even for the best students. In this book, you'll find more than three hundred business English idioms and phrases that are used in boardrooms, over lunch, at conferences and in offices around the world.

The best way to learn new vocabulary is in context. That's why each idiom and expression is introduced through a realistic dialogue. Then, you'll find a simple explanation for each one and then have a chance to put into practice what you've learned. Answers are included so that you can easily check your progress.

To get the most bang for your buck, be sure to do the following:

−  Review frequently.

−  Use each idiom or phrase in real life as soon as possible.

−  Don't be nervous about making mistakes. That's how you'll get better at English!

−  Do the practice sections. Try not to cheat and look at the answers too much!

−  Consider studying with a friend to help each other stay motivated.

Good luck and I wish you well on your journey to becoming more proficient with business English.

About the Author: Jackie Bolen

I taught English in South Korea for 10 years to every level and type of student. I've taught every age from kindergarten kids to adults. Most of my time has centered around teaching at two universities: five years at a science and engineering school in Cheonan, and four years at a major university in Busan where I taught upper-level classes for students majoring in English. In my spare time, you can usually find me outside surfing, biking, hiking, or snowshoeing. I now live in Vancouver, Canada.

In case you were wondering what my academic qualifications are, I hold a Master of Arts in Psychology. During my time in Korea, I completed both the Cambridge CELTA and DELTA certification programs. With the combination of almost ten years teaching ESL/EFL learners of all ages and levels, and the more formal teaching qualifications I've obtained, I have a solid foundation on which to offer advice to English learners.

I truly hope that you find this book useful. I would love it if you sent me an email with any questions or feedback that you might have.

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/eslspeaking

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/jackiebolen

Email: [e-mail]

You might also be interested in this book: Advanced English Conversation Dialogues. It has hundreds of helpful English idioms and expressions that can be used in a wide variety of situations. Learn to speak more fluently in American English.

A Status Update

Alex and Sarah are discussing a project they're working on.

Alex: Good morning, Sarah. Do you have a moment to discuss the latest project update?

Sarah: Of course, Alex. I'm all ears. What's the latest status?

Alex: Well, we've made significant progress in the past week. The development team implemented the new features, and we conducted testing to ensure functionality.

Sarah: That's great news. How are we tracking against the project timeline?

Alex: We're on schedule so far. However, there have been some minor hiccups in the testing phase. I've asked the QA team to provide a detailed report by the end of the day.

Sarah: Excellent. Communication with the client is crucial. Have you updated them?

Alex: I've sent them a comprehensive progress report highlighting the completed tasks and the upcoming milestones. They seemed satisfied with the updates so far.

Sarah: Good to hear. Speaking of milestones, have we finalized the delivery dates?

Alex: Yes, we've reviewed the project timeline and adjusted delivery dates where necessary. I'll share the updated schedule with you after our meeting.

Sarah: Perfect. Let's also touch base on resource allocation. Are we adequately staffed for the upcoming workload?

Alex: I've reviewed the team's capacity, and we might need to reallocate some resources to ensure optimal efficiency. I'll provide you with a revised staffing plan by tomorrow.

Sarah: Okay. Any concerns or roadblocks that need immediate attention?

Alex: There are a few minor issues, but nothing that can't be resolved within our team. I'll keep you updated on any significant developments.

Sarah: Great. Thanks for the update, Alex. Let's continue to monitor the progress closely, and feel free to reach out if you need any support.

––––––––

Vocabulary

project update: A report on the latest developments and progress of a particular project.

significant progress: Substantial and noteworthy advancements or improvements made within a specific timeframe.

functionality: The ability of a system or component to perform its intended functions without errors.

project timeline: A chronological representation of planned project activities and milestones.

hiccups: Minor obstacles or disruptions in the normal course of a project or process.

QA team: Quality Assurance Team, responsible for ensuring the quality and accuracy of a product or service.

comprehensive progress report: A detailed document summarizing completed tasks, achievements, and upcoming milestones in a thorough manner.

delivery dates: The specified dates for the completion and delivery of project phases or components.

resource allocation: The process of assigning and distributing resources, such as manpower and equipment, to tasks or activities within a project.

optimal efficiency: The highest level of productivity and effectiveness achieved with the least amount of resources and time.

Vocabulary Challenge

During the team meeting, Alex presented the latest _______________, outlining the advancements and progress made on the marketing campaign.

The research team celebrated their _______________ in